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WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump cast Lindsey Graham as a 'guy that liked war' ahead of the hawkish senator's funeral in Washington and characterized the Republican as a eager to tap into American military might."I mean Lindsey liked war, to be honest, with you," Trump said in a Fox & Friends interview. "He was a guy that liked war," Trump added with a laugh. "He's never seen a war that he didn't like."Trump offered the comments hours before he was scheduled to deliver a eulogy at Graham's funeral in the nation's capital, which prompted visits to Washington by the leaders of Israel and Ukraine and a vote on legislation to sanction Russia.In the interview, Trump said that Graham had changed his stance on Iran war and supported a deal to end that conflict but wanted to keep arming Ukraine in its fight against Russia. Graham was militant in his support for Ukraine, the president said.Fox & Friends co-host Ainsley Earhardt countered by noting that Graham's sister, Darline, had defended her brother against similar characterization while speaking to Fox host Sean Hannity."He didn't love war, he loved peace and the end of war. But sometimes war is necessary," Earhardt said.Trump did not respond as Earhardt moved on to her next question. Trump endorsed Darline Graham in her bid for her brother's Senate seat.At the beginning of the interview, Trump called Graham a "great politician," and a great gentleman. He said their relationship "started off a little bit on the rough side" before evolving into a great friendship.How politicians around the world reacted to Lindsey Graham's deathDemocrats, Republicans and international politicians reacted to Lindsey Graham's death."He really became like a member of the family, in a sense, and he was just somebody that was very special," Trump said.Trump and Graham enjoyed a close relationship with senator routinely advising him on foreign affairs later in life. But they weren't always on such good terms.Graham refused to throw his support behind Trump in 2016, calling him "unfit for office," after briefly competing for the Republican nomination for president against him. And he clashed with Trump over the latter's attacks on late Arizona Sen. John McCain, a prisoner of war who was tortured in Vietnam. McCain was one of Graham's longest and closest friends.The pair made nice during Trump's first term in office, frequently golfing together, only to break again over the Jan. 6, 2021, riot on the U.S. Capitol. Graham later supported Trump's comeback bid for the White House in 2024, endorsing him over fellow South Carolina native Nikki Haley in the GOP primary.
